1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a target object detection apparatus, and more particularly, relates to a target object detection apparatus which detects a presence of a target object based on face data of a person and data of an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag attached to the person, and a robot provided with the target object detection apparatus.
2. Description of Relevant Art
In recent years, a robot which detects a target person based on a data of the RFID tag, which is attached to the target person, has been known. For example, this technology is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-160630 (paragraphs [0101] to [0112], and FIG. 19 and FIG. 20). A robot described in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-160630 behaves in response to a person by identifying the person coming close to a distance where information of the RFID tag can be read. In this case, for example, an ID number and “owner” or “stranger”, which is a data showing a relationship with him/her, are stored in the RFID tag. Then, if a person with the RFID tag which stores the data of “owner” approaches to the robot, the robot identifies the person as the “owner”, and conducts a motion, for example, to “stand up”. On the other hand, if a person with the RFID tag storing the data of “stranger” approaches to the robot, the robot identifies the person as the “stranger”, and conducts a motion, for example, to “draw back”. That is, the information (relation) which governs the motion when the target person is detected is included in the RFID tag. Therefore, the RFID tag documenting a different relation is used for conducting a different instruction.
However, an intensity of a radio wave is too weak in some case for a communication between the robot and the person, depending on a distance (several centimeters to several meters) Therefore, transmitted data from the RFID tag may be detected incorrectly by the robot, thereby resulting in difficulty of the personal detection.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a target object detection apparatus which can solve the aforementioned conventional issue and can accurately detect a target object, and a robot provided with the target object detection apparatus.